NYTF 2010: Toynami

Wow, what a long day, but it ended on a happy note with the unveiling of the Jumbo Machinder Voltron 1 & 3. These toys will be under the "SHOGUN WARRIORS" brand name. Since Toynami only has the license for Voltron till the end of this year, they wanted to go out with a bang. Well, it doesn't get much better than this. 60cm Slush molded poly (?) Jumbo Machinders, WITH FIRING FISTS. Some notes:

Articulation in the head, shoulders elbows, waist and hips. Firing fists will be the type that have the peg that inserts in the arm. Hands, while solid in the protos, will be hollow to allow the jumbos to support weapons.

estimated retail will be about $200 each. If successful, the line will continue with other properties. Some names thrown around - Combattler, Danguard and Voltes. First two are due around June 2010.

Other news - Vinyl battlepod will be released a second time only this time with missle pods. No other new robotech merchandise on the horizon. No more masterpiece cyclones.

Re-tooled shadow fighter is out, not entire piece was retooled - only certain parts. Boxes are the ones used on defective ones. Old ones pulled out, new ones pushed in. Piece we held was more solid, but still had somw QC issues. More on that later as we get our act together.

Comments

Considering that there haven't been any new jumbos since probably the Power Ranger ones (maybe you can count that female Mazinga magnetic thing...), it's exciting to see any new jumbos on the horizon. And since the high priced vintage jumbos are out of my reach, and the mid-tier ones I still need aren't showing up on E-bay lately (unless insanely overpriced), I'm looking forward for something to expand my collection. Not really a good time to be picky when it comes to new jumbos.

turk
--
The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.--Bertrand Russell

The toys may be being resold to some of you, but they're only being regular-sold to me.

I absolutely love the old-style funk of the original jumbos, but I can also appreciate that the newer toys are more true to the original cartoons. Plus, when buying the newer toys you never have to worry about play wear, missing fists and accessories, color fading, or flat-out damage. They'll always be MISB.

The two hundred dollar price tag is also significantly nicer than the price of most older jumbos. Not all collectors can compete with the rich old guys from Boston!

I don't begrudge anyone the amount of money they blow on a hobby. As far as I'm concerned,as long as someone works for their salary,he can do what he wants with it.

That said,some of you guys act like everyone has stacks of hundred dollar bills laying around to throw at toy robots. The fact is,to the majority of people,these Voltrons are far too expensive,let alone the vintage stuff.
I would imagine a lot of people will either purchase these Shoguns,or no Shoguns at all.

I'm really not saying this to be rude,and if you've got the money to burn on the pricey stuff,knock yourself out,you earned it. But I just think sometimes people with more income or less commitments forget many collectors are working on a budget.

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A master of mind control who hides inside a Ford Pickup

Regarding the price point, I don't think you expect much better. Jumbos are traditionally money losers. In order to get the price down, you have to produce a lot more and that's only smart if they sell, which they historically do not. The Bandai Creation jumbos are exhibit A. Based on current characters that kids could watch on TV and priced at only $30 and they tanked. Then they tried switching from the robots to the rangers for $25 and those tanked. The market for jumbos of any characters is, unfortunately, just not large enough to sustain production. So what you end up with is what we're seeing here and from S7.. high priced, limited run collector pieces for the hardcore fans only. I wish it were otherwise, but it's not.

But I also feel I've got to address the "old rich guys from Boston" comment. I'm faaaar from rich, especially the last year or so, and even at the height of my jumbo buying, it was mostly done on credit cards. I was almost 25 grand in debt at one point! I know Sanjeev got help on his Spazer from his girl and possibly from his credit card as well. Also, as collectors we all accumulate stuff over time that we don't always keep. One hand washes the other as they say and very often people will sell one thing to buy another. Did you see the Spazer auction that just ended? Nearly $16,000 and I know for a fact that the winner is paying almost NOTHING out of pocket to get it. He sold toys he's been collecting for the last 25 years to make it happen. So don't assume that just because someone has managed to acquire expensive toys that they are necessarily rich. They could be creative or just plain stupid. ;)

"You can't sell it until you get it from him, but you gotta sell it to pay him to get it to sell it".
---Jerilock, talking about me trying to raise the money I need to pay for the toys I already bought....

Dave is totally right on that. And when you look at other 70's toy lines, like Mego, or even some TF items, many Jumbo prices aren't all that off the mark when you factor rarity, availability, condition, age, and the size- the bigger and older something is, it is usually more likely to be thrown away after childhood.

You also have to realize the realities of auctions and older items in this day and age. Something is worth what someone else will pay. While I might love to own a nice 1930's Martin guitar, I have accepted that unless I want to drop $3k+ I ain't getting one in the condition I want, and that if I want it for cheaper, I'm going to battle Wall Street collectors who want to put it up on their wall as an investment. It might be only worth $1k technically, but it goes for $3k and that is what I have to pay if I want one now, you know? It's the same thing with toys.

Crazy prices sure (especially now!) but you don't have to be a gazillionare to get some cool stuff. Just be patient, diligent- and even then, you often get into a bidding war with several others over stuff that comes up for sale once, twice over the course of years. once or twice over years, let alone at the price you want! This is why I have zero (0) jumbos now ;)

I collect Henshin Cyborg toys, which also fall into the high-price category sometimes, especially when you get boxed pieces from the original 70's run. There are a few colors and accessory sets I have never even seen for sale once in 5 years of daily searching. Some of the figures I'm waiting for that "special price" and have resigned myself to be patient and not just jump on one. With this mentality, I've gotten some great deals (one figure I got MIB for $50, and at a time it consistantly sold for over $300+)

A lot of people do what I do as well- which is flip parts of their collection to get new stuff. I am so poor I have to pay attention with two credit cards. I work freelance so I have to have a savings cushion for the slow business times. I guess having a job that necessitates a high level of saving can make that easier, mentally. So since around 2004 I've had a few hundred put aside, in case something comes along that I have to jump on right then and there. Willpower alone keeps that money from being spent on misc. crap. And even having that savings set aside isn't enough to cover some rare stuff.

I had a rule for most of the late 90's to today- "modern pays for the vintage that stays." I will sell without hesitation modern or US toys, to fund other more expensive items, or new things that come out that I want. And by doing that, so many things I've collected over the years (gi joe, star wars, macross, marvel legends to name a few) I didn't lose a dime, as I got rid of them before the "bottom falls out" so to speak.

I also will buy toys that I don't collect if I see it is a good deal. Winning a few dirt cheap 25th anniversary GiJoe auctions last year have paid for all of my purchases in 2009-10 so far with $$$ to spare! A friend collects comics with his son for free by spending $20 at the swap meet every weekend, and trading whatever they get in at the local comic shop for new books. Shop gets good vintage stuff for cheap, the boy gets to get his favorite comics every week.

I haven't spent out of pocket for a toy in a few years, and will only really do so if it's something that doesn't come around often, or something I see once and know I won't see again. And then usually I'll sell something just to feel better about it. Actually, there are some rare records I have that are going to magically disappear so these Voltron Jumbos can magically appear at my house.